A7 Pilot Besal And TISIRI's Kistel Meet

8-23-12

Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Bob Besal and TISIRI's Joe Kistel had the opportunity to recently meet in Charleston. Besal is the pilot of the A7 military aircraft confirmed offshore by TISIRI investigation efforts. The gentlemen had a friendly conversation both explaining their sides of the story; (Besal) how the aircraft ended up offshore St. Augustine and (Kistel) how the recent investigation of unknown wreckage was determined to be Besal's A7. See a picture of Besal and Kistel below. Bob Besal is holding the data plate recovered that led to the identification of the A7 aircraft.

Both Besal and Kistel admit their meeting was too brief to talk about all the things they would have liked to. They promised to continue the conversation are currently planning a trip to take Besal out to the wreckage location in September.

Greetings ADM Besal I am AD-1 Thomas Sorensen AW Ret USN was Aviation Machinst Mate at Cecil Feild
VA 37 and VA 82 1978-1985 USS Saratoga /USS Nimitz
was Turn Qualed in VA-82 Capt Nash From Fox News was
my NATOPS Officer that had to requal for hes a hard man to reach I Love that Aircraft I hated the turn Screen it was
a pain in the rear drop me a few lines I live in North Florida
very happy they found your plane Respectfully
Thomas Sorensen
AD-1 USN RET

Hello Thomas–thanks for your service, fellow Marauder!
You won’t believe this — CAPT Chuck Nash relieved me as the Executive Assistant to the three-star at the Naval Forces Europe HQ in London, then he rode USS Savannah when I was CO to get his ship-driving quals!
Small world in Naval Aviation…
My best,
Bob Besal

I’m the one Besal and then Nash worked for in London, and I’m beginning to wonder about Burner Bob Besal!
seems he was also CO, USS America, which was also turned into a reef!!
Is there something going on between Besal and TISIRI??
I best keep my pontoon boat away from them.

Dear TISIRI,
I left a Corsair II in the Tyrehennian Sea and another one in the North Arabian Sea ….could you get me the data plates? Then let’s go find the USS America which Burner Bob, as the last Commanding Officer, allowed to be sunk in 2005.
Kent Ewing
Captain, USN, Ret